Me. Rev. Stat. » Title 17-A
Maine Revised Statutes

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 254 (2026)

Sexual abuse of minors

✓ current as of May 2026
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1.  A person is guilty of sexual abuse of a minor if:  
A. The person engages in a sexual act with another person, not the actor's spouse, who is either 14 or 15 years of age and the actor is at least 5 years older than the other person. Violation of this paragraph is a Class D crime;   [PL 2001, c. 383, §21 (AMD); PL 2001, c. 383, §156 (AFF).]
A-1. The person violates paragraph A and the actor knows that the other person is related to the actor within the 2nd degree of consanguinity. Violation of this paragraph is a Class C crime;   [PL 2001, c. 383, §21 (NEW); PL 2001, c. 383, §156 (AFF).]
A-2. The person violates paragraph A and the actor is at least 10 years older than the other person. Violation of this paragraph is a Class C crime;   [PL 2001, c. 383, §21 (NEW); PL 2001, c. 383, §156 (AFF).]
B.   [PL 1989, c. 401, Pt. A, §5 (RP).]
C. The person is at least 21 years of age and engages in a sexual act with another person, not the actor's spouse, who is either 16 or 17 years of age and is a student enrolled in a private or public elementary, secondary or special education school, facility or institution and the actor is a teacher, employee or other official in the school district, school union, educational unit, school, facility or institution in which the student is enrolled. Violation of this paragraph is a Class E crime;   [PL 2001, c. 383, §21 (AMD); PL 2001, c. 383, §156 (AFF).]
D. The person violates paragraph C and the actor knows that the student is related to the actor within the 2nd degree of consanguinity. Violation of this paragraph is a Class D crime; or   [PL 2011, c. 464, §6 (AMD).]
E. The person violates paragraph C and the actor is at least 10 years older than the student. Violation of this paragraph is a Class D crime.   [PL 2011, c. 464, §7 (AMD).]
F. [PL 2011, c. 464, §8 (RP).]
[PL 2011, c. 464, §§6-8 (AMD).]
2.  It is a defense to a prosecution under subsection 1, paragraphs A, A‑1, A‑2 and F, that the actor reasonably believed the other person is at least 16 years of age.  
[PL 2003, c. 138, §4 (AMD).]
3. 
[PL 2001, c. 383, §21 (RP); PL 2001, c. 383, §156 (AFF).]
4.  As used in this section, "related to the actor within the 2nd degree of consanguinity" has the meaning set forth in section 556.  
[PL 2001, c. 383, §21 (NEW); PL 2001, c. 383, §156 (AFF).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1975, c. 499, §1 (NEW). PL 1975, c. 740, §50 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 495, §§9,10 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 401, §A5 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 451, §1 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 104, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 460, §§2,3 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 383, §21 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 383, §156 (AFF). PL 2003, c. 138, §§2-4 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 464, §§6-8 (AMD).
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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 62 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1976–2026 · leading case: State of Maine v. James A. Reynolds, 2018 ME 124 (Me. 2018).
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State of Maine v. James A. Reynolds, 2018 ME 124 (Me. 2018). · cites it 7× “§ 254(3)(A) has since been repealed and its contents incorporated into 17-A M.R.S. § 254(1)(A-2) (2017). P.L. 2001, ch.”
State of Maine v. John A. Fahnley, 2015 ME 82 (Me. 2015). · cites it 5× “Fahnley appeals from a judgment of conviction of sexual abuse of a minor (Class C), 17-A M.R.S. § 254(1)(A-2) .(2014), entered by the court (Franklin County, Mills, J.”
United States v. Faustino Gomez, 757 F.3d 885 (9th Cir. 2014). · cites it 3× “§ 14:80 A; Me.Rev.Stat. Ann. tit. 17-A § 254; Md.Code Ann.”
State of Maine v. Benjamin H. Hodgdon II, 2017 ME 122 (Me. 2017). · cites it 5× “2000); 2 and sexual abuse of a minor (Class C), 17-A M.R.S.A. § 254(1)(A), (3)(A) (Supp. 2000).”
Loi Van Ngo v. State, 2008 ME 71 (Me. 2008). · cites it 6× “In February 1998, while represented by counsel, Ngo pled guilty to two Class D offenses: sexual abuse of a minor, 17-A M.R.S.A. § 254 (Supp.1998), [1] and criminal threatening, 17-A M.”
State v. Hinds, 485 A.2d 231 (Me. 1984). · cites it 5× “After a jury trial in the Superior Court, York County, the defendant was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor, 17-A M.R.S.A. § 254 (1983), and aggravated furnishing of scheduled drugs, 17-A M.”
State of Maine v. Trevor I. Desrosiers, 2024 ME 77 (Me. 2024). · cites it 6× “The indictment charged DesRosiers with committing six crimes under two statutes over three separate days: sexual abuse of a minor (Class C), 17-A M.R.S. § 254(1)(A), (A-2) (2024), and furnishing liquor to a minor (Class D), 28-A M.”
State v. LOI NGO, 2007 ME 2 (Me. 2007). · cites it 6× “*1225 § 209 (2005); 17-A M.R.S.A. § 254 (1998). [1] Ngo argues that the District Court improperly determined that it lacked jurisdiction to decide his motion, and that in his case, the post-conviction review statutes are unconstitutional as applied.”
State v. Patton, 50 A.3d 544 (Me. 2012). · cites it 3× “§ 255-A(l)(M) (2011); and two counts of sexual abuse of a minor (Class C), 17-A M.R.S. § 254(l)(A-2) (2011). Patton contends that the court erred in several respects, including (A) a constitutional error resulting from the court’s decision to permit a State’s witness, a police…”
United States v. Eirby, 515 F.3d 31 (1st Cir. 2008). · cites it 2× “Concluding, as a matter of first impression, that a conviction under the Maine statute violated by the appellant, 17-A M.R.S.A. § 254(l)(A-2), is a crime of violence and finding the appellant’s other claims of error equally unpersuasive, we affirm the judgment below.”
United States v. Eduardo Rangel-Castaneda, 709 F.3d 373 (4th Cir. 2013). · cites it 2× “060; Me.Rev.Stat. tit. 17-A, § 254; Md.Code Ann.”
Estrada-Espinoza v. Mukasey, 546 F.3d 1147 (9th Cir. 2008). “1 ("Permitting sexual abuse of a child”); Me.Rev.Stat. Ann. tit. 17-A, § 254 ("Sexual abuse of minors”); Md.”
Show all 62 citing cases →
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 254(1) — 15 cases
John Fahnley v. State of Maine, 2018 ME 92 (Me. 2018).
State v. Yanez, 716 A.2d 759 (R.I. 1998).
Fahnley v. State, 188 A.3d 871 (Me. 2018).
State v. Lehman, 1999 ME 124 (Me. 1999).
United States v. Rogers, 521 F.3d 5 (1st Cir. 2008).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 254(1)(A) — 17 cases
State of Maine v. Benjamin H. Hodgdon II, 2017 ME 122 (Me. 2017). “2000); 2 and sexual abuse of a minor (Class C), 17-A M.R.S.A. § 254(1)(A), (3)(A) (Supp. 2000).”
State of Maine v. Trevor I. Desrosiers, 2024 ME 77 (Me. 2024). “The indictment charged DesRosiers with committing six crimes under two statutes over three separate days: sexual abuse of a minor (Class C), 17-A M.R.S. § 254(1)(A), (A-2) (2024), and furnishing liquor to a minor (Class D), 28-A M.”
State of Maine v. Colby D. Conroy, 2020 ME 22 (Me. 2020).
State of Maine v. John A. Fahnley, 2015 ME 82 (Me. 2015). “Fahnley appeals from a judgment of conviction of sexual abuse of a minor (Class C), 17-A M.R.S. § 254(1)(A-2) .(2014), entered by the court (Franklin County, Mills, J.”
State of Maine v. James A. Reynolds, 2018 ME 124 (Me. 2018). “§ 254(3)(A) has since been repealed and its contents incorporated into 17-A M.R.S. § 254(1)(A-2) (2017). P.L. 2001, ch.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 254(1)(C) — 2 cases
State v. Fulton, 178 A.3d 1225 (Me. 2018).
State of Maine v. Dylan Fulton, 2018 ME 3 (Me. 2018).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 254(1)(F) — 1 case
State v. Stanislaw, 2011 ME 67 (Me. 2011).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 254(2) — 3 cases
State v. Hinds, 485 A.2d 231 (Me. 1984). “After a jury trial in the Superior Court, York County, the defendant was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor, 17-A M.R.S.A. § 254 (1983), and aggravated furnishing of scheduled drugs, 17-A M.”
State v. LaVallee-Davidson, 26 A.3d 828 (Me. 2011).
State v. Roberge, 643 A.2d 366 (Me. 1994).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 254(3) — 1 case
State v. Ruest, 506 A.2d 576 (Me. 1986).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 254(3)(A) — 1 case
State of Maine v. James A. Reynolds, 2018 ME 124 (Me. 2018). “§ 254(3)(A) has since been repealed and its contents incorporated into 17-A M.R.S. § 254(1)(A-2) (2017). P.L. 2001, ch.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 254(l) — 6 cases
State v. Patton, 50 A.3d 544 (Me. 2012). “§ 255-A(l)(M) (2011); and two counts of sexual abuse of a minor (Class C), 17-A M.R.S. § 254(l)(A-2) (2011). Patton contends that the court erred in several respects, including (A) a constitutional error resulting from the court’s decision to permit a State’s witness, a police…”
United States v. Eirby, 515 F.3d 31 (1st Cir. 2008). “Concluding, as a matter of first impression, that a conviction under the Maine statute violated by the appellant, 17-A M.R.S.A. § 254(l)(A-2), is a crime of violence and finding the appellant’s other claims of error equally unpersuasive, we affirm the judgment below.”
State of Maine v. John A. Fahnley, 2015 ME 82 (Me. 2015). “Fahnley appeals from a judgment of conviction of sexual abuse of a minor (Class C), 17-A M.R.S. § 254(1)(A-2) .(2014), entered by the court (Franklin County, Mills, J.”
State v. Ericson, 2011 ME 28 (Me. 2011).
State v. Samson, 916 A.2d 977 (Me. 2007).
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